Mumbai, Sep 23 (PTI) A group of campaigners against the female genital mutilation (FGM) prevalent in some communities in India, has called for stopping the practice and urged the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to address the issue.

Significantly, the issue was taken up for discussion, the first time ever, at a side event at the 36th Regular session of the UNs Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva on Thursday.

The campaigners belonging to WeSpeakOut and Change.org participated in an hour-long discussion in Geneva on the prevalent practice of FGM in India organised by non-profit organisation, Global Alliance against FGM. The discussion was held on the day of Indias Universal Periodic Review at the UNHRC.

During the discussion, they called upon the Indian government to take adequate steps to stop the practice, a release said.

"It was the first time when the issue of FGM practiced in India was discussed at a side event at the 36th Regular session of the UNs Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva," the release said.